White-eyed Vireo

(Vireo griseus)

Where: Richmond, VA • Bryan Park

Notes: A lucky shot from a short lunch time stroll at Bryan Park near the Jason's Creek Trail. A pair of these small song birds had been calling from the nearby bushes and it sounded like they were getting closer. So I set my camera for low light conditions and waited motionless in the heavy shade of the forest canopy. Then suddenly one of them landed in the branches of a small sapling just in front of me. It jumped around from branch to branch almost constantly, like a Chickadee. Then, it paused for a moment on an unobstructed perch only ten feet away. I was able to obtain sharp focus and then squeeze off four or five shots before it began to flit around again. I had not noticed before what a distinct shape this Vireo's head has.